Blueberry plant named &#39;fcm12-131&#39;

ABSTRACT

The new blueberry plant variety ‘FCM12-131’ is provided. ‘FCM12-131’ is a commercial variety intended for the hand harvest fresh market. The variety is produced from a cross of ‘ZF04-002’ and ‘FL95-138’. The new blueberry plant ‘FCM12-131’ as it grows in Tala, Mexico is distinguished by a dense, round growth habit, moderate vigor, closely spaced internodes, brightly colored salmon or orange new leaves, mature leaves that are glaucous, corollas that tend to be narrow and cylindrical or slightly urceolate in form, intense flowering and fruiting following pruning, and large fruit with a light blue color that is globose or slightly oblate in shape. The new blueberry plant ‘FCM12-131’ consistently produces larger fruit than the standard variety ‘Biloxi’, which is a very desirable characteristic.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/285,361 filed on Oct. 26, 2015, which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety as though fully set forth herein.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

None.

Latin name of the family, genus, and species: Family—Ericaceae.Genus—Vaccinium. Species—corymbosum hybrid.

Variety denomination: The new blueberry plant claimed is of the varietydenominated ‘FCM12-131’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the discovery of a new and distinctcultivar of southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. hybrid)plant, referred to as ‘FCM12-131,’ as herein described and illustrated.The new blueberry plant variety ‘FCM12-131’ was selected near Colima,state of Colima, Mexico in 2012. ‘FCM12-131’ is a commercial varietyintended for the hand harvest fresh market. The variety has mediumvigor, ripens early and produces a large berry with good firmness, and asmall picking scar on fruit derived from the current season's growth.‘FCM12-131’ was selected for use in an evergreen production system inareas where zero effective chilling hours may be accumulated. Thegrowing region of Colima, Mexico where ‘FCM12-131’ was originallyselected is at a low latitude (˜19.5° N) with a sub-tropical climate. Inthis region, temperatures rarely fall below 45° F. (the maximumtemperature at which blueberry buds accumulate chill units to breakdormancy) and day lengths only vary from between 10.8 hours in Decemberto 13.2 hours in June. Under these conditions, many traditionallow-chill blueberry varieties (developed in latitudes)25°-35°) do notproduce flower buds or flowers. In the case of blueberry varieties thatdo flower under these conditions, the flowers are produced primarily onthe current season's growth producing a structure that is often referredto as a ‘primocane’ inflorescence in the blueberry industry (althoughtechnically the word primocane refers specifically to a shoot on abramble or caneberry). The ‘primocane’ inflorescences tend to be veryelongated in form compared to an inflorescence produced at higherlatitudes from dormant buds, and the primocane fruit often does notabscise well from the pedicel, resulting in a large picking scar whichgreatly limits shelf life. The blueberry industry in central Mexico isdominated by the variety ‘Biloxi’. ‘Biloxi’ is one of the fewtraditional low chill varieties that grows well and produces fruit witha good picking scar in this growing environment. However, ‘Biloxi’ oftenproduces an excessive proportion of small, unmarketable fruit.‘FCM12-131’ was exceptional because it flowered and fruited more thanmost genotypes and also had large, firm fruit with a small picking scar.‘FCM12-131’ also flowers very intensely after pruning, resulting in ashortened fruit harvest period relative to ‘Biloxi’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Pedigree and History: The new blueberry plant originated from a cross of‘ZF04-002’ (female parent, unpatented) by ‘FL95-138’ (pollen parent,unpatented, owned by University of Florida and used with permission).

The cross that produced ‘FCM12-131’ (denominated by the cross code‘X09-101’) was made in Lowell, Oreg., USA in 2009.

The new blueberry plant variety ‘FCM12-131’ was initially propagated bysoftwood cuttings in 2012. Rooted plants from these cuttings were fieldplanted in Tala, Jalisco, Mexico and also shipped to Lowell, Oreg., USAin 2013. Additional plants have been propagated via softwood cuttingsfrom the plants established in Tala, Mexico in 2014. The plants sent toLowell, Oreg. were also propagated via softwood cuttings in 2014 andsuccessfully used to establish in vitro culture lines in 2014.

The seedling family that produced ‘FCM12-131’ was initially grown in 50cell propagation trays and shipped to Mexico in March, 2011 after theplants had reached sufficient size to be field planted. They wereplanted in a commercial blueberry field near Colima City, state ofColima, Mexico and evaluated for fruit production and quality beginningin December 2011. ‘FCM12-131’ was selected in 2012 because it floweredprolifically in a zero chill, evergreen production system and producedfruit with large size, firm texture, and a small picking scar. Afterbeing selected in Colima, ‘FCM12-131’ was propagated by softwoodcuttings and a ten plant plot was established in Tala, Mexico (nearGuadalajara). The ten plant plot was evaluated for fruit quality andyield in comparison to the standard varieties ‘Biloxi’ and ‘Ventura’beginning in December, 2013. After two harvest seasons of evaluation,the yield and fruit quality of ‘FCM12-131’ were deemed sufficiently goodto warrant launching it as a commercial variety.

The new blueberry plant ‘FCM12-131’ as it grows in Tala, Mexico isdistinguished by a dense, round growth habit, moderate vigor, closelyspaced internodes, brightly colored salmon or orange new leaves, matureleaves that are glaucous, corollas that tend to be narrow andcylindrical or slightly urceolate in form, intense flowering andfruiting following pruning, and large fruit with a light blue color thatis globose or slightly oblate in shape. The new blueberry plant‘FCM12-131’ consistently produces larger fruit than the standard variety‘Biloxi’, which is a very desirable characteristic. The followingcharacteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed andcan be used to distinguish ‘FCM12-131’ as a unique Vaccinium corymbosumhybrid plant:

-   -   1) Globose or slightly oblate, light blue fruit that is        significantly larger than fruit from the cultivar ‘Biloxi’    -   2) Pink, salmon, or orange leaf color on new growth    -   3) Mature leaves glaucous with a blue green color    -   4) Narrow, often cylindrical corollas that may sometimes be        urceolate or obovate in form    -   5) Small picking scar on fruit derived from the current season's        growth    -   6) Intense flowering following pruning resulting in a shortened        harvest period relative to the cultivar ‘Biloxi’ when grown        under evergreen, zero chill production systems

Plants of ‘FCM12-131’ propagated from softwood cuttings or in vitro arephenotypically stable and exhibit the same characteristics as theoriginal plant. The parents ‘ZF04-002’ and ‘FL95-138’ have not beenevaluated in the same environment of Mexico that ‘FCM12-131’ wasselected in. However, in California, USA and Oregon, USA, ‘ZF04-002’ hadcorollas that were more urceolate in shape than ‘FCM12-131’. Similarly,the blueberry plant ‘FL95-138’ grown in California, USA lacked salmon ororange coloration on new leaves compared to ‘FCM12-131’. ‘FCM12-131’also has leaves that are more glaucous than either ‘ZF04-002’ or‘FL95-138’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a photograph of a young plant (approximately 8 months afterplanting) of ‘FCM12-131’ grown in Tala, Mexico and photographed on Dec.11, 2013 showing concentrated, precocious ‘primocane’ fruiting habit.

FIG. 2 is a photograph of a mature plant (approximately three yearsafter planting) of FCM12-131 grown in Tala, Mexico and photographed onDec. 7, 2015.

FIG. 3 is a photograph of a young plant of ‘FCM12-131’ grown in Lowell,Oreg. and photographed on Jun. 15, 2015, showing salmon and orangecolored new growth.

FIG. 4 is a photograph of flowers of ‘FCM12-131’ grown in Tala, Mexicoand photographed on Dec. 8, 2015.

FIG. 5 is a photograph of leaves of ‘FCM12-131’ grown in Lowell, Oreg.and photographed on Jun. 16, 2016.

FIG. 6 is a photograph of leaves of ‘FCM12-131’ grown in Lowell, Oreg.and photographed on Dec. 15, 2015 showing fall color.

FIG. 7 is a photograph of fruit of ‘FCM12-131’ grown in Lowell, Oreg.and photographed on Jun. 8, 2016.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘FCM12-131’. The data which defines thesecharacteristics was collected from asexual reproductions of the originalselection. Dimensions, sizes, colors, and other characteristics areapproximations and averages set forth as accurately as possible. Allmeasurements are the average of five observations. The plant history wastaken on mature plants approximately 2 years of age, and thedescriptions relate to plants grown in the field in Tala, state ofJalisco, Mexico unless otherwise noted (observations on fall leaf colorand some other traits were collected on plants grown in Lowell, Oreg.).Descriptions of fruit characteristics were made on fruit grown in Tala,State of Jalisco, Mexico. Color designations are from “The Pantone Bookof Color” (by Leatrice Eiseman and Lawrence Herbery, Harry N. Abrams,Inc., Publishers, New York 1990) unless noted otherwise. Where thePantone color designations differ from the colors in the photographs,the Pantone colors are accurate.

-   Variety:    -   -   Classification.—a. Family — Ericaceae b. Genus —            Vaccinium c. Species — corymbosum hybrid d. Common Name —            Southern Highbush Blueberry.        -   Parentage.—a. Female Parent — ‘ZF04-002’ (female parent,            unpatented) b. Male Parent — ‘FL95-138’ (pollen parent,            unpatented, owned by University of Florida and used with            permission).        -   Market class.—Commercial blueberry variety intended for the            hand harvest fresh market.-   Plant:    -   -   General—. a. Parentage — ‘ZF04-002’ (female parent,            unpatented), ‘FL95-138’ (pollen parent, unpatented, owned by            University of Florida and used with permission). b. Plant            height — average of 67.4 cm c. Plant width — average of 89.8            cm d. Growth habit — round or semi-erect e. Growth —            moderately vigorous f. Productivity — good, average of 2.69            kilos per plant, per season on a 2 year old plant, compared            to 1.86 kilos per plant, per season for the commercial            variety ‘Biloxi’. g. Cold hardiness — not determined, likely            USDA zone 7 given southern highbush parentage. h. Chilling            requirement — not determined, estimated at less than 700            hours less than 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Capable of fruiting            well with zero chill hours when maintained in an evergreen            state of growth. i. Leafing — good leafing j. Twigginess —            fairly twiggy k. Resistance/susceptibility to root rot            (Phytopthora cinnamomii) — does not appear to be overly            susceptible l. Resistance/susceptibility to stem blight            (Botryosphaeria sp.) — does not appear to be overly            susceptible m. Resistance/susceptibility to Phomopsis Twig            Blight (Phomopsis vaccinii) — not evaluated n.            Resistance/susceptibility to Botrytis (Botrytis cinerea) —            does not appear to be overly susceptible o.            Resistance/susceptibility to Leaf Spot (Septoria spp.) —            does not appear to be overly susceptible p.            Resistance/susceptibility to Leaf Rust (Naohidemyces            vaccinii) — does not appear to be overly susceptible q.            Resistance/susceptibility to bud mites (Acalatus vaccinii) —            not evaluated.-   Stem:    -   -   General.—a. Suckering tendency — moderate b. Mature cane            color — Pantone Moss 16-0532 c. Mature cane length —            estimated at 50 cm d. Mature cane width — estimated at 50            mm e. Bark texture — rough f. Fall color on new shoots — In            Lowell, Oreg.: Pantone colors Barn Red 18-1531, Mineral Red            17-1537, Green Oasis 15-0538. g. Surface texture of new wood            — smooth h. Internode length on strong, new shoots — average            of 8.21 mm i. Average number of buds per fruiting lateral —            average of 3.6.-   Foliage:    -   -   General.—a. Time of beginning of leaf bud burst — Late            February to mid-March in Lowell, Oreg. b. Leaf color (top            side) — Pantone Black Forest 19-0315 c. Leaf color (under            side) — Pantone Bluish Olive 18-0316 d. Leaf arrangement —            Alternate e. Leaf shape — Elliptic to lanceolate f. Leaf            margins — Entire g. Leaf venation — Pinnate, anastomosing h.            Leaf apices — acute i. Leaf bases — generally acute j. Leaf            length — average of 62.77 k. Leaf width — average of 34.63            mm l. Leaf length/width ratio — 1.81, moderately narrow m.            Leaf nectaries — absent n. Pubescence of upper side —            absent o. Pubescence of lower side — absent p. Cross            sectional profile — revolute q. Longitudinal profile —            frequently undulate r. Attitude — porrect.        -   Petioles.—a. Length — average of 3.40 mm b. Width — average            of 1.85 mm c. Color — Pantone Beechnut 14-0425 d. Surface            texture — smooth.-   Flowers:    -   -   General.—a. Time of beginning of flowering — September 10 in            Tala, Mexico. Mid-March in Lowell, Oreg. b. Time of 50%            anthesis — Late March in Lowell, Oreg. c. Flower shape —            Flowers from resting buds, such as observed in Lowell,            Oreg., tend to be narrowly cylindrical or occasionally            obovate (wider at the aperture end than base). Flowers from            current season's growth on “primocanes” (such as those            observed in Tala, Mexico) tend to be more urceolate. d.            Flower fragrance — faintly floral, rose e. Immature flower            color — In Tala, Mexico, Pantone Frozen Dew 13-0513. In            Lowell, Oreg. immature flowers have more anthocyanin and            match Pantone colors Dusty Cedar 18-1630, Peach Blossom            16-1626, and Snow White 11-0602. f. Pollen Staining — good,            95% fertile when stained with acetocarmine red g.            Self-compatibility — good, 78% of self-pollinated flowers            reached maturity.        -   Corolla.—a. Color — Pantone Frozen Dew 13-0513. b. Length —            average of 9.86 mm c. Width — average of 9.65 mm d. Aperture            width — average of 3.77 mm e. Anthocyanin coloration of            corolla at time of anthesis — low f. Corolla ridges — not            distinct g. Protrusion of stigma — average of 0.6 mm beyond            lip of corolla.        -   Inflorescence.—a. Length — variable, average of 45.42 mm b.            Diameter — average of 20.69 mm c. Length of peduncle —            variable, average of 30.82 mm d. Surface texture of peduncle            — smooth e. Color of peduncle — Pantone Green Oasis            15-0538 f. Length of pedicel — average of 9.87 mm g. Surface            texture of pedicel — smooth h. Color of pedicel — Pantone            Green Banana 14-0434 i. Number of flowers per cluster —            average of 6.2 j. Flower cluster density — loose.        -   Calyx (with sepals).—a. Diameter — average of 8.24 mm b.            Color (sepals) — Pantone Tarragon 15-0326 c. Calyx surface —            smooth.        -   Stamen.—a. Length — average of 7.16 mm b. Number per flower            — 10, occasionally 11. Average of 10.4. c. Filament color —            Pantone Celery Green 13-0532.        -   Pistil.—a. Length — average of 9.30 mm b. Ovary color            (exterior) — Pantone Leaf Green 15-0332 c. Style: Length —            average of 10.86 mm.        -   Anther.—a. Length — average of 3.7 mm in Lowell, Oreg. b.            Number — average of 10 in Lowell, Oreg. c. Color — Pantone            colors Baked Clay 18-1441 to Burnt Orange 16-1448 in Lowell,            Oreg.        -   Pollen.—a. Abundance — moderate in Lowell, Oreg. b. Color —            Pantone color Pale Banana 12-0824 in Lowell, Oreg.-   Fruit:    -   -   General.—a. Time of fruit ripening — approximately October            30 in Tala, Mexico depending on timing of previous            pruning. b. Time of 50% maturity — Approximately October            November 15 in Tala, Mexico, depending on timing of previous            pruning. In Lowell, Oreg. fruit ripens in mid-June. c. Fruit            development period — approximately 45 days. d. Mean harvest            date — Peak harvest occurred on February December 21 in            Tala, Mexico when plants were pruned the previous May.            Dependent on timing of previous pruning. e. Mean date last            pick — Last pick occurred on May 1 in Tala, Mexico when            plants were pruned the previous May. Dependent on timing of            previous pruning. f. Cluster density — low g. Berry cluster            — loose h. Berries per cluster — average of 3. i. Unripe            fruit color — Pantone color Lettuce Green 13-0324, Damson            18-1725, Eggplant 19-2311 in Lowell, Oreg. j. Ripe berry            color - Pantone colors Dapple Gray 16-3907, Blue Fog            15-4008, Deep Cobalt 19-3935 in Lowell, Oreg. k. Berry skin            color after polishing - Pantone color Dark Navy 19-4013 with            some Blue Fog 15-4008 in Oregon. l. Berry surface wax            abundance — Heavy, rubs easily m. Berry flesh color —            Pantone colors Endive 13-0632 to Pastel Yellow 11-0616 in            Lowell, Oreg. n. Berry weight — Average of 2.42 grams in            Tala, Mexico over the course of the 2014-2015 harvest            season, in comparison to an average of 1.16 grams for            ‘Biloxi’. o. Berry height from calyx to scar — average of            13.11 mm p. Berry diameter — average of 17.41 mm q. Calyx            aperture — average of 4.36 mm r. Calyx depth — average of            1.8 mm s. Pedicel length — average of 9.40 mm t. Pedicel            surface texture — smooth u. Berry detachment force —            medium v. Berry shape — oblate w. Fruit stem scar — small,            dry x. Berry flavor — slightly tart, overall mild y.            Sweetness when ripe — medium z. Firmness when ripe —            good (1) Acidity when ripe — medium (2) Storage quality —            good (3) Suitability for mechanical harvesting — poor (4)            Self-fruitfulness — good (5) Uses — commercial fruit            production for the fresh market.-   Seed:    -   -   General.—a. Seed abundance in fruit — Moderate in Lowell,            Oreg. — average 18 seeds per berry. b. Seed color — Panton            color Madder Brown 19-1331 c. Seed dry weight — 3.4 mg for            seed grown in Lowell, Oreg. d. Seed length — average 1.89            mm.-   Comparison between parental and commercial cultivars:

State of State of Denomination Characteristic expression of expressionof of similar for similar candidate variety variety comparison variety(FCM12-045) ZF04-002 Corolla shape Urceolate Cylindrical, narrowFL95-138 Color of new Pale yellowish Salmon or orange leaves greenZF04-002 Leaf glaucescence Low High (wax) FL95-138 Leaf glaucescence LowHigh (wax) Biloxi Leaf margin Slightly serrate Entire Ventura Plantvigor High Medium to low

1. A new and distinct variety of blueberry plant named ‘FCM12-131’ substantially as illustrated and described herein. 